Meanwood Beck Flood Risk Study

Find out how we’re lowering the risk of flooding around Meanwood with our flood risk study.

Why Meanwood needs flood protection

[Meanwood Beck in Scotland Wood]

There have been major flooding events in the Meanwood Beck Catchment in 2002, 2007 and 2015. This has affected commercial properties at Sugar Well Road and Meanwood Close and residential properties at Monk Bridge and Boothroyd Drive. In addition to these the Mill Garth Hospital close to the beck was flooded in 2004 and 2007. There has also been frequent flooding from Meanwood Beck to highways.

What we’re doing to reduce the risk of flooding

Leeds City Council have been working with the Environment Agency to model the Meanwood Beck catchment and identify areas of flood risk. 

In the summer of 2021, an initial long list of potential solutions was created, and an online survey was published to consult with local residents, landowners and the wider public. The results of that survey were conveyed in this newsletter (September 2021). 

In late 2022 we completed our assessment of the long list of options based on further survey, hydraulic modelling, and the feedback from the public engagement event in 2021.

In our January 2023 update we produced a shortlist of potential flood alleviation options in locations across the catchment for further assessment. These were the areas at Scotland Wood, Woodhouse Ridge and Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, along with some natural flood management in the upper catchment.

Since that update, we have been carrying out detailed assessments of those options. This process is complicated and time consuming, as it requires testing all of the options with a mapping tool, taking into account a huge number of variables across the Meanwood Beck Catchment, as what happens many miles upstream on a watercourse has impacts all the way downstream. The solutions need to provide a good level of flood risk reduction whilst also being environmentally friendly, community friendly and financially achievable. The effects of climate change also need to be factored in to ensure that we develop schemes that can adapt to increased rainfall and higher river levels in the decades to come.

These intensive assessments have shown us that there are significant environmental and buildability issues at the previously shortlisted locations. These issues would outweigh the flood reduction benefit. Therefore, we are unlikely to take those options forward.

Our revised strategy is to reduce flood risk by considering smaller interventions at multiple locations within the catchment. In addition, we are considering how to incorporate wider scheme benefits with catchment partners and community groups. This will enable us to find best value solutions, maximise flood resilience, improve watercourse habitat and support our mission to reach net zero.

Interventions now under consideration include:

• Flood walls around the Buslingthorpe area
• Flood storage areas at key points within the catchment
• Natural flood management solutions like tree planting, land management, leaky dams, habitat enhancements and wetland areas across the wider Meanwood Beck catchment

Next Steps

• We are currently assessing several locations across the catchment against several flood mitigation interventions. This work is due to be completed by January 2024

• We will then assess the financial implications of the new shortlist, as well as their impact on the environment and communities.

• We expect to consult with the public in the Spring/Summer of 2024.

Contact us

Sign up to our Meanwood Beck mailing list for regular updates on project process. 

For any more information, please email us at FRM@leeds.gov.uk and include ‘Meanwood Beck flood risk study'